It's an age-old strategy, but it's still relevant today—the best way to sell products is to let them sell themselves. When it comes to the world of e-commerce and selling imaging accessories this is a good course of action as well and the best way to accomplish that objective is through visuals.
Far too often, the product shots we see on retail websites are, simply stated, awful. Static, single-angle images do nothing to communicate to the shopper why they need a particular accessory.
A perfect example of this is the sale of bags and cases. A front-angle shot of a closed camera bag is useless to the consumer but shots that show the various compartments, pockets and carrying options can make the product a “must have” if done correctly.
Show how the accessory enhances the consumers' imaging experience. An external hard drive is a relatively boring-looking product but an image that shows a user's stills, videos and music files pouring into that boring little box will make all the difference in helping them understand how important a purchase one can be. Hitachi has done this well with the recent release of their LifeStudio product (see image).
Always remember, the text is supplementary—let the image do the heavy lifting. Particularly with accessories, let the product shots do the selling for you as much as possible.
Nobody knows better than the folks in the imaging industry that good photography, along with conveying the essence of a product or service, can also surprise and delight, too. Your Web product images can also convey how fun a particular product can be as well. The Gorilla Pod image taken from their website illustrates this perfectly. The shot beautifully shows the kind of fun you can have with this unique tripod. A static product shot simply would not have achieved this.
Other visual factors to consider for selling accessories online:
• Consider the surrounding environment—the viewer should immediately understand the product's purpose and suitability and not be confused but other elements in the shot.
• Make sure your “larger view” button provides a truly larger view—and one that allows the consumer to move around in to see additional details.
• If you think the product is innovative, make sure you show your visitors why with the images.
• Bunch accessory images together to show the consumer why certain items make sense as a batch purchase. That DSLR will immediately need some media, an extra lens and bag to protect it all…right?
• Don't only show the need, illustrate how it will be met with the product purchase.
• Sell the lifestyle—it's what imaging is all about today so make sure the images on your site celebrate this fact.
Imaging continues to play such a vital role on the Web in educating, influencing, informing and entertaining consumers. Make sure the visual sense on your site consistently reassures your customers throughout the buying process. Remember, the images on your site shouldn't only look good, they should work well for your customers and always help in the decision making process.
